New Beginnings
Thursday will mark one year since I left stepped off a plane from Mexico, introduced my Mexican puppy to snow, and pressed restart on my life.
But that’s not what this post is about (that’ll be Wednesday). The new beginning I’d like to talk about today is for my latest novel. I’ve received wonderful feedback so far, and one reader made the observation that while she loved my character development, the plot takes a little while to get started. Which is kind of a bad thing.
I spent the weekend brainstorming and had a general idea for a fix when I hopped in my car and headed to Chicago. Wouldn’t you know the perfect opening line came to me while I was driving on the highway.
Fortunately I’d tossed a notepad in the car, so with the cruise control set and a quick check to make sure no other cars were around me, I scribbled a page of notes for the new beginning. Now I just need to get started.
I purchased my first home in the spring of 2012 and self-published a YA novel in November 2012.
Follow my journey as I simultaneously Pinterest-ify my home and spread FLICKER around the world.
Adam
Yay!
Also, remind me to NEVER get in a car with you.
Adam
Melanie Hooyenga
I’m an excellent driver.
Nadine
Yay for the new idea!! Hmm… We need to get you a voice recorder. Writing on the freeway with snow sounds scary!
Melanie Hooyenga
I do think a voice recorder would be handy. I always get ideas when I can’t write them down.
And for the record, this was on the way TO Chicago when it was sunny and dry. I wouldn’t have attempted writing notes in that storm!
Jennifer
As I am writing the middle of my WIP, my mind keeps skipping back to the beginning and all the changes I’ll be needing to make. It takes a while for a story to ‘warm up’ so I almost always need to go back and add some more ‘heat’ to the beginning.
Yay for your Americanniversary!
Melanie Hooyenga
I had to move my heat further back in the book. Or do you not mean that kind of heat?
Allen
I use voice mail when I need to remember stuff. I call myself and leave it on the machine. I did get some strange looks from my wife when I left an entire scene for murdering a spouse on the home recorder. Probably shouldn’t do that again.
Melanie Hooyenga
Ha!
I’ve done that before too, but only on a line where I’m the only person who answers.
ab
Gotta jot it where you can. I need to get a “real” notepad. I’m not as good on my itouch as I was making notes on my old phone :/
Melanie Hooyenga
I’m really glad I thought to bring a notebook along. Of course, I took it out of the car when I got back home. D’oh!